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Friday, June 03, 2011

Wow. Six years. It's hard to believe it's been that long already, yet at the same time, it's hard for me to remember what life was like during the five years I lived on this farm before I started blogging—and carrying my camera everywhere.

This is my 2,038th post. There are another 297 posts on In My Kitchen Garden. The Daily Doses of Cute (which are almost appearing daily!) have passed the 500 mark.

In the past six years, my two little blogs have had over four million visitors.

I titled my very first Farmgirl Fare post An Unexpected Beginning, and I had no idea how true that would turn out to be. In it, I mention that I looked up the word unexpected in my thesaurus and this is what it said: surprising, unforeseen, sudden, stunning, eye-opening, astonishing, astounding, amazing, breathtaking.

Yes.

When I posted the 100th Daily Farm Photo on September 18th, 2005 (which is still one of my favorites), I looked up the word amazing: astonishing, fascinating, stunning, shocking, wonderful, surprising, bewildering, prodigious, awesome, unbelievable, astounding, incredible, marvelous.

Yes.

My life has changed in so many unexpected and amazing ways during the past six years.

I'm grateful to all of you for choosing to spend time here, and for your comments and feedback and kind words. I know some of you have been around since the beginning!

I'm grateful to the sponsors who choose to advertise on my blogs, and to the BlogHer Publishing Network for helping to make that happen.

I'm grateful to all of you who take the time to start your amazon.com shopping trips by clicking on a Farmgirl Fare or In My Kitchen Garden amazon.com link first (like to a book or product I've recommended), including that little black amazon logo that's always over in the right sidebar of any Farmgirl Fare page. When you do, we receive a small percentage of the sale, at no cost to you, no matter what you end up buying.*

Every little bit helps, and your support really makes a difference. It allows me to spend 30 to 40+ hours a week blogging. It allows me to spend more time taking pictures, telling stories, creating recipes, and meeting people around the world. It allows me to work at something I love doing.

It also helps keep the farm going.

Thank you. For everything.

Here's to another six years!

I'd love to stay and reminisce, but I have to go out in the blazing heat and help pick up hay.

* Thanks to Lorna for asking if she can start shopping through a Farmgirl Fare amazon link and then purchase items already on her amazon wish list. Yes! As long as they aren't already in your shopping cart, they will count. Thanks so much!

Oh, my. That #100 is an AMAZING photo. I'd love to transfer that image right onto the end of my barn and see it out the window everyday! I, too, am glad you can spend that much time blogging. I dig it.

It's wonderful to check in on your world every day and live vicariously through you. I'm in the suburbs of DC -- and it's so fun, and humbling, to see what life's like in rural America. You work hard! I especially love the pictures of the donkeys and the sheep. Those babies are all so precious.

Congratulations! And thank you for such a wonderful blog(s). My boys love all the cute animal photos, and I love, love all your wonderful recipes!

On another note-I am about to make a rather large stock-piling Amazon purchase! Do you know if I can link to Amazon through your site and select items already on my Wish List and have you get the credit for them? Or do I have to do new searches for those items? I'd love to help fund the treats!

Congratulations, Susan, on 6 great years. I think I have been reading and enjoying your Farmgirl Fare blog from close to the beginning. And, I have followed your Garden blog from the start. Love them both. They kind of start my day. Keep up the good work, both writing and photography.

Hi Everybody,Thanks for all the nice comments and the helpful feedback! :)

Hi Lorna,Ah, the notorious treat bill at the feed store! ;)

Thanks for asking about buying items on your amazon Wish List through a Farmgirl Fare amazon link. The answer is yes, if you start your amazon shopping spree using one of our links and purchase items on your Wish List, we will receive credit - as long as they aren't already in your shopping cart. We really appreciate your support!

I love the farm photos, stories, and book reviews, but what I love absolutely most are your recipes!! They are what keep me coming back again and again... Thank you for many wonderful meals!! I truly hope to see a recipe book from you in print some day soon!

Thanks for everything!Elizabeth Dedicated follower and fan for 3+ years

Wow, Susan... I love it all, yes, definitely the recipes... and of course the photos, but most of all the honest and dear way that you say things. Your writing, your stories, and they way that you say things is a gift to all of us. Thank you.

Congratulations!! I've been "with" you lmost since the beginning and still love every minute. Of course, I am very partial to a certain DDDonkey but everyone else is such fun, too. Your writing, cooking and photography brings a smile to my every day.Thank you so much.

Well, it (almost) goes without saying that I am a huge fan and of course, enormously grateful for the experience which afforded me the absolute delight of actually meeting you and all the critters! I was enormously lucky you said yes to the idea and didn't think I was some kind of 'virtual' weirdo!

Love all the pics, recipes & posts; have often been crying with laughter and sometimes gut-wrenching sadness along the way.

But most of all, your friendship helped me work out a few knots back home and I 'met' the man I am to marry, right there in your Shack! So, your blog changed the course of my life forever. Now that's an accolade!

Congratulations Susan! I've been following along for most of those 6 years and a few of your recipes have become family favorites and requested at every family gathering. Here's to another 6 years! Nisha

I have a question about the Amazon link. If I go to amazon.com using the link shown on your blog and then bookmark it, can I just use that bookmark in the future? Or do I have to come to your blog first every time?

Hi Ruth,Yes, if you bookmark a Farmgirl Fare amazon link, such as the ones in this post (you'll see the words 'farmgirl fare' somewhere in the link url) and then you open that link to begin your future amazon shopping trips, we will receive the credit.

Thanks so much for asking - and for helping to support Farmgirl Fare. We really appreciate it! :)

December 2015 update: Hi! For some reason I can't figure out, Blogger hasn't been letting me leave comments on my own blog (!) for the last several months, so I've been unable to respond to your comments and questions. My apologies for any inconvenience! You're always welcome to email me: farmgirlfare AT gmail DOT com.

Hi! Thanks for visiting Farmgirl Fare and taking the time to write. While I'm not always able to reply to every comment, I receive and enjoy reading them all.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and I especially love hearing about your experiences with my recipes. Comments on older posts are always welcome!

Please note that I moderate comments, so if I'm away from the computer it may be a while before yours appears.

I try my best to answer all questions, though sometimes it takes me a few days. And sometimes, I'm sorry to say, they fall through the cracks, and for that I sincerely apologize.

I look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy your e-visits to our farm!